10 Years in the Making

When 2012 Allen & Ginter came out I went to the local card shop and bought the hobby box on the day it got released. Months followed with me buying up blaster boxes trying complete the set to the point I was getting repeats that I don't need to buy blasters and going after singles. Like almost every set I tried to build I stop then start again later years later. 2012 Allen & Ginter is no different as I would buy singles once in a while throughout the years. Then in a collector moment I would forget to update the checklist database and end up re-buying some of those singles. After realizing I just need less than 10 cards I made it my mission to complete the set. One of the cards was Bobby Hurley, Sr. that took me a while track down despite not being a short-print. After that I just needed two cards and one of them was kinda biggie: Derek Jeter and Mike Trout. Jeter is no problem as I picked one up for a $1. Then there's the Trout card that commands spending big bucks. If you want track one down on Ebay expect to spend $15-$20 and its not even his rookie card. Luckily there was one seller with a buy now price of $10. I jumped on it quickly and now I have wait for the cards to come in the mail to make the set officially complete. Then it came:

And boom there it is. The 2012 Allen & Ginter set finally complete as it took me ten years to finish it. With one set done time to see what other sets I need to complete and there's alot of it in my collection.

Topps Caught With Their Hand in a Cookie Jar

Topps quality control took another huge hit. On late Friday afternoon Topps issued a press release on social media on authenticity of Austin Meadows and Randy Arozarena autographs from this year's Topps Definitive set. They came to "conclusion" both are fakes and those who pulled the card will be getting a replacement box of 2022 Topps Definitive and a replacement card to go along with it. It made me go what happen to their quality control and how did it get passed? Topps must have known, but decide to pass the product on the consumers hoping no one will know. The consumer will know and they will find out harder it turns out to be a fake. Reading the comments section on one of a social media sties there's one that stuck out. A collector/fan called Topps out on F1 driver Lando Norris autos being fake. The fan met Lando and showed him the card. Lando said he didn't sign it. It's highly potential it might be widespread but refuse to admit it. Topps blamed the process on covid protocols, but its not a good excuse especially when collectors and consumers are shelling over hundreds of dollars on sport card products. It didn't help when the back of Topps autograph card said all signed cards are witness by a Topps representative. So far its been proven to be false. Want to know how much a box of 2022 Topps Definitive cost? $2,000-$2,500. Imagine spending that much only to get pull a card with fake autographs. Might be forced to go over my collection over the weekend and question any autographs I pulled from Topps are legit especially the past two years. Not a great look for Topps.

For those who want a look at questionable card its this:

It can immediately tell its a horrible fake. In fact, I got Randy Arozarena signed in person at minor league game in 2017.

Yep way off from Topps. For those who don't want to spend digging through Topps social media for the press release here it is:

A Year Long Delay Box Break

The last of Topps delayed 2021 products got released few weeks ago as in Big League. I never expected to be released after numerous delays that kept pushing it well into 2022. In fact I forgot I pre-order a hobby and collector box last year and due to numerous delays I expected the set to be scrapped. Much to my surprise I got a tracking email from UPS and Blowout Cards saying the items got shipped. Talk about long overdue on one of last year's set.

The collector box comes with a figure along with five packs. Of the 10 collectible figures I received.....

Carl Yastrzemski in 1983 card design. Pretty good. From both collector and hobby boxes I got over half of the base set as 24 orange parallels, 23 inserts, one rainbow foil, but no autograph. Some examples I got:

There you have it the budget little frills set that was suppose to be released last year. I do like the cosmic retrowave look on Defensive Wizards insert set. I would have made this set different due numerous delays. If I was Topps I would have combine both 2020 and 2021 season into this set expanding it from 300 to 500 cards calling it 2021-22 Big League.

2022 Topps Baseball Hanger Box Break

2022 Topps Baseball been out for two weeks. I bought two hanger boxes through Walmart.com. Time to start that yearly set build that will likely not be finished for a year or two mainly I'm too lazy to buy/trade for singles. Here what I pulled for my 134 card starter set.

Hanger Box 1:
Yasmani Grandal, Brandon Crawford, Eduardo Rodriguez, Archie Bradley, NL East Division Smiles/checklist, Charlie Morton (CharMo as I called him), Gio Urshela, Stuart Fairchild, Eduardo Escobar, Kevin Pillar, Emmanuel Rivera, Whit Merrifield, Bo Bichette, Zac Lowther, Minnesota Meetup/checklist, AL Wins Leaders, LAA Angels, Tyler Stephenson, John Means, Greg Holland, Eli Morgan, Josh Naylor (was a miserable prick in AA ball), Taijuan Walker, Matt Manning, Eddie Rosario, Anthony DeSclafani, Kyle Tucker, Kwang-Hyun Kim, Miguel Cabrera, Aaron Ashby, Travis D'Arnaud, Rougned Odor, Josiah Gray, Jake Arrieta, Adam Frazier, Liam Hendricks, Tommy Pham, Jesse Winker, Ty France, Matthew Boyd, Luis Robert, Alex Bregman, Mike Yastrezemski (Topps Quality Control; see picture below), Hanser Alberto (always called Hanser the Answer), Chris Flexen, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Garrett Hampson, Mike Zunino, Cesar Hernandez, Adam Wainwright, Anthony Rizzo, Fernando Tatis Jr., Christian Vazquez, Bryce Harper, Patrick Mazeika, Pedro Severino, Chad Pinder, Jake Cousins, Christian Walker, Michael Conforto

Inserts: Framer Valdez (Royal Blue base Walmart exclusive)
87 Topps: Joey Votto
Stars of MLB: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ke'Bryan Hayes, Luis Robert, Chrisitian Yelich 
Welcome to the Show: Eddie Murray

Hanger Box 2:
Yan Gomes, Corey Seager, Ian Happ, Brian Anderson, Alek Manoah, Travis Shaw, Tony Santillan, Wade Milley, Mauricio Dubon, Carlos Rondon, Steven Brault, Ryan McMahon, Double Bath/checklist, NL Wins Leaders, Miami Marlins, Jacob DeGrom, Mike Foltynewicz, Reid Detmers, AL Batting Leaders, Atlanta Braves, Taijuan Walker, Matt Manning, Eddie Rosario, Anthony DeSclafani, Kyle Tucker, Kwang-Hyun Kim, Miguel Cabrera,  Aaron Ashby, Ian Kennedy, Willi Castro, Corbin Burnes, Wander Franco (I might be rich!), Christian Yelich, Jackson Kowar, Shane Bieber, Kyle Seager, Yermin Mercedes, Johnny Cueto, Lucas Giolito, Buster Posey (sunset card), Danny Jansen, Mookie Betts, Bobby Dalbec, Omar Narvaez, Jake Burger (great name!), Ronald Acuna Jr., Avisail Garcia, Riley Adams, Austin Riley, Kyle Higashioka, Jake Rogers, Kyle Gibson, Robbie Grossman, Nick Solak, Will Smith, Alcides Escobar, Trevor Rogers, Alex Kirilloff, Keston Hiura, Kyle Muller

Inserts: Jorge Mateo (rainbow base)
87 Topps: Luis Robert
Stars of MLB: Byron Buxton, Javier Baez, Yadier Molina, Joey Gallo
2021's Greatest Hits: Wander Franco (double Francos in one hanger box)

Out of 134 cards about 8 are repeats. Not a bad starter set from two hanger boxes. Hope there's a blaster box somewhere at Target or Walmart. I don't think I should get a hobby box right now with prices still high. It might go down with the lockout continuing.

Late Grand Slam Arrival From Topps

When Topps offer this card from Topps Now series I knew I had to get it. I did, but waited for a month to arrive. It came in the mail few days ago and this what I received.

This card featured San Diego Padres hitting grand slams in four straight games, a first in MLB history. All of them were against Texas Rangers in a series as Fernando Tatis, Jr. first to tee'd of them in first game of the series. After Rangers perceived Tatis grand slam being disrespectful during a blowout made the Padres super motivated to hit grand slams in the remaining games of the series. At the end of the series Padres showed the Rangers on who's their Padre. I checked the print run of the card and its at 2133....and I owned one of them.

Topps Total

I did another thing. Purchased a pack of Topps Total from the site. It was wave 6 featuring cards 501-600. For $10 a pack there got to be something out of this. I remember the 900 card set from early 2000s that costs $1 a pack. It was expanded Big League set before Big League. On to the cards

The cards are glossy front and back with no stats on the back. Just short print form highlights from previous year.

I got Astros player for my collection. So far got in 6 games with ERA of 7.50 with a very shaky team bullpen. I'm still more afraid of pitching staff with Dusty Baker managing.

Remaining cards are: Randal Grichuk, D.J. LeMahieu, Colton Brewer, Tommy Kahnle, Taylor Clarke, Travis Demeritte, Duane Underwood Jr., Brandon Woodruff, and this red parallel card.

One parallel in every pack. The red border are numbered to 10. So far Wittgren doing well for Indians bullpen holding on to the leads.

This feels more like $1 common card in each pack.

Super7 Big League

Topps Big League is here and nowhere around here have it in stock. Target and Walmart been super bare with their selection that I have buy this box direct from Topps. It's the collector box I purchased as it comes with 5 packs and one figure. I was hoping to pull Jose Altuve figure out it. Instead I got.....

Cody Bellinger which isn't bad at all. There is a bend on the cardboard so do not expect "mint on card" figurine when you open a box. As for the cards no big hits, just base and inserts with Bo Bichette and Nico Hoerner rookie card. Just realized Nico Hoerner only played in single A before getting called up to the majors. I do like the bat flip inserts as I got Wilson Contrearas and Rafael Devers. I do enjoy the photo selection of Keston Hiura and Tim Anderson BL card. There's my Topps Big League starter set and need to collect 260-270 more base cards for the set.

Topps Last Hoops Hurrah

Watched first four episodes of The Last Dance and its enjoyable so far. Re-living Chicago Bulls last hurrah and the drama the team endured during their way to 6th and final title of Michael Jordan era. Part 3 and 4 flashback to the beginning of Bulls dynasty with Phil Jackson now as coach employing triangle offense and team coming together in bulking up to battle Pistons Nasty Boys to getting their first title against Magic and the Lakers. What else happen in the 1990? The sport card boom with basketball cards getting a piece of the action. Fleer was sole producer of NBA cards with famed 86-87 set til Hoops enter the foray in 1989. It was follow up with Skybox (1990), Upper Deck (1990), and Topps (1992). Companies have either been bought out and merged or declared bankruptcy and have their assets and name sold. In 2005 only three remain on producing NBA cards: Topps, Upper Deck, and Panini. Just as 2000 decade about to end the basketball card landscape changed. In early 2009 Panini got exclusive rights to produce NBA cards which they hold today. For Topps and Upper Deck 2009-10 is the final time to produce NBA licensed set. Upper Deck would still produce a few basketball related sets under NCAA license. For Topps it was their last foray and likely remain that way into foreseeable future. Topps went out of basketball with a big bang.

The 2009-10 set was at 330 cards, the largest since 2000-01 set (295 cards). The cards are from hobby box I bought when it came out. The design was basic and effective with a name, position, and team logo on the front.

It's the run of the mill stats on back of the card but got a black border around it. It makes the card prone to chipping.

Photography selection? They got great shots especially this Nate Robinson card. The shot was from Slam Dunk contest leaping over Dwight Howard in his contest clinching dunk.

Speaking of Dwight here's him with a massive block with Paul Pierce underneath him.

Overhead view of KG grabbing a board

Big Baby pushes down Brad Miller

 Steve Novak celebrating a winning shot

Joel Przybilla underneath Big Z after tangling with each other

Samuel Dalembert stretching

KD about to lay it up

LeBron about to slam it down

There's randomly inserted cards such gold border cards (numbered to 2010) which been a fixture of Topps. DeShawn Stevenson entering the court looking like a winner. Matt Bonner laying it up past a Clipper.

You may find black border (numbered to 50) card. Chris Wilcox about to slam it in

Randomly inserted are chrome cards. I was lucky to pull a chrome refractor of Carmelo as he lays it up past Ron Artest.

Insert set titled Draft Snapshot featuring shot of players taken from day of the draft year. If you like looking at fine threads from the draft this is for you. Bosh looking good in that gold color tux on draft night.

You know what else made this set iconic? The draft class. It's one of strongest draft class since 2004. The final 15 cards of the set featured the first 15 players drafted of 2009 class. That year's rookie crop have produced MVPs in both regular season and finals, scoring leaders, assist leaders, All-NBA, and various All-Stars along few busts. The biggest one is this card....

The man who would lead Warriors dynasty in 2015-2020. One of faces of the NBA as he's a two time MVP and a 6-time All Star. He's the only one that is STILL playing for his drafted team which is a rarity now. If you are looking pick up this card expect to put down big money on it. This card can fetch for $100-$125 ungraded. A 9.5 grade card was sold for almost $600 last month.

I was lucky to get both the base and the gold out of the box. A league MVP (2018), two time scoring champ, and 8 time All-Star. Still have not been to NBA finals yet. Currently playing for Houston Rockets. His rookie card can be fetched $20-$30 ungraded.

A four-time All-Star; currently playing for San Antonio Spurs

First overall pick of that year draft he have to miss 2009 season due to injury. He returned taking rookie of year in 2010 as well becoming a six-time All-Star, and Slam Dunk contest winner. Currently playing for Detroit Pistons. I say he's at twilight of his career as his knees and body are breaking down.

One-time All Star and former NBA All-Defensive First Team (2018). Currently playing for New Orleans Pelicans

Then you have the players who either have serviceable or journeyman career

Taken 5th overall didn't come to the league til 2011 where he played for Timberwolves til 2017. Currently playing for Suns.

He was raw potential star only to flame out and have a journeyman career. Last played in the NBA in 2018.

A star at North Carolina he played 7 years in the NBA before spending at season in G-League then the last three years in China.

Named rookie of the year in 2009 he spent 10 years with 4 teams in the league before getting kicked out for violating anti-drug program.

Then you have the following two busts from my box:

Drafted 2nd overall played 4 seasons with 4 teams and at the time the highest drafted player to get sent down the G-League (which is surpassed by Anthony Bennett). Despite last playing in the league in 2014 he still hard at work trying get back in NBA playing in the G-League.

The surprised pick that analysts immediately knew it was bad pick the second it was announced. Drafted 4th overall played three seasons before playing remainder of his career overseas. Last known season as a player is 2014.

That's it from the box I got about a decade ago. I believe I paid $90 for it at the time. I wish I found my ordering records from that period. The set is 95% complete and I should get singles to complete it but I'm too lazy. Topps delivered game winning shot on their final NBA release. Just like Michael Jordan winning shot over the Jazz for their 6th and final NBA championship of their dynasty. It was right timing with the rookie class and circumstances on how they projected to leave a memorable set for basketball card collectors. Panini still haven't produced a memorable set since they got NBA license. Maybe they are banking on Zion Williamson career path on how to call NBA card set a classic.

If you want purchase a box of this set expect to pay big money on it. Ebay listings have hobby boxes over two grand. Dave and Adam got it at over $2300. I wonder how many bought at the time and have it sitting and stashed somewhere as the prices have gone up 20X since.